Pinhook setting machine for draperies and the like



Oct. 26, 1954 E. RAPHAEL 2,592,332

PINHOOK SETTING MACHINE FOR DRAPERIES AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 20, 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 p INVENTOR.

E. RAPHAEL PINHOOK SETTING MACHINE FOR DRAPERIES AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 20, 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

FIG. 2

E. RAPHAEL Oct. 26, 1954 PINHOOK SETTING MACHINE FOR DRAFERIES AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 20, 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

'FIG. 3

Oct. 26, 1954 E. RAPHAEL 2,692,382

PINHOOK SETTING MACHINE FOR DRAPERIES AND THE LIKE w Fne'd Aug. 20, 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIGS-B 69 F|G.6A

IN V EN TOR.

Oct. 26, 1954 E. RAPHAEL 2,592,332

PINHOOK SETTING MACHINE FOR DRAPERIES AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 20, 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR.

FIG 6 Oct. 26, 1954 E. RAPHAEL 2,692,382

PINHOOK SETTING MACHINE FOR DRAPERIES AND THE 1.1m:

Filed Aug. 20, 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet s m n: l

m: y m v \\\\\\\\w INVENTOR.

D wm om i I II; V: L N9 4 m: x m m m m8 mm. m J: W Q: Q TL mm: 00. w m: 09 g E E. RAPHAEL Oct. 26, 1954 PINHOOK SETTING MACHINE FOR DRAPERIES AND THE LIKE 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Aug. 20, 1952 INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 26, 1954 PINHOOK SETTING MACHINE FOR DRAPERIES AND THE LIKE Edwin Raphael, Holland, Mich, assignor to Edwin Raphael Company, Inc, Holland, Mich, a corporation of Illinois Application August 20, 1952, Serial No. 305,415

26 Claims.

The invention relates to machines for inserting pins or similar fastening devices in cloth fabrics and the like and, more particularly, is concerned with a machine whereby curtain or drapery pins or pin-hooks may be applied or inserted more or less automatically to or in a curtain, drapery or the like in a uniformly desirable manner and at a desired place. While the machine herein disclosed, or certain of its features, may be employed for other purposes, it is especially useful for the particular purpose of applying pin-hooks, i. e. combination pins and hooks by which curtains and drapes are hung, to curtains and drapes. Therefore, in the interest of simplification of description, the machine will be revealed in the form peculiarly adapted to that particular purpose.

Draperies, curtains and other hangings for interior decoration or for purely utilitarian purposes are hung or supported in various ways but commonly are hung upon rods, taut cables or the like. In some instances the drapery or other hanging may be mounted directly upon the supporting rod or other device as Where a rodpocket is provided in the hanging along a marginal portion thereof for reception of the rod support. More often, however, and especially for hangings of drapery and draw-curtains, the hangings are equipped with pin-hooks which include a pin shank portion to be inserted in or pinned to the material and a hook portion to be hooked over the supporting rod or hooked into eyelet or other devices in turn carried by the rod or support.

Much depends on correct placement of the pinhooks for attainment of desired effects and cor rect appearance of the hanging. If the pinhooks are of such type or construction that proper placement requires the pin shanks to be so placed in. the material for instance, to lie in parallel array, or to be arranged at equal intervals transversely of the hanging, or to be located at the same or some predetermined distance from the upper transverse marginal edge of the material or from a heading line, then any departure from such placement, array or location may cause the in-hooks, supports or drapes or all to function improperly and, in any event, will be almost certain to destroy or prevent the desired effect or appearance. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that the pin-hooks be correctly pinned or set in the drapery or curtain and in the manufacture of such. furnishings great care must be and is exercised with that end in view. Since the operation of inserting Iii or placing the pin-hooks has been performed manually hereto-fore and since so much care is required in performing that operation for reasons stated, a substantial part of the labor and expense involved in the manufacture of items such as curtains and drapes may be attributed to this phase of the manufacture.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a machine by which pin-hooks. or other pin devices may be placed speedily and with absolute precision in drapes, curtains and the like.

Another important object is to provide a machine of the character mentioned whereby drapes or the like and other fabric items, Whether plaited, ruflled, folded or plain piece goods, may be pinned with pin-hooks or other pins or similar fastening devices for hanging or other purposes.

Still another important object is to provide a machine, of the type and for the purposes specicapable of placing a pin-hook or a pin of other type in a pre-formed plait, seam or other part of a fabric item and at a predetermined place and in predetermined orientation therein with respect to the plait, seam or part and/or some other physical feature such as an edge of a heading or hem margin of the item, and, in connection therewith or independently thereof, to provide means for accommodating various thicknesses of materials and plaits, seams or folds.

A further object of a primary nature is to provide an arrangement of mechanism whereby a pin-hook or other pin may be so engaged with the fabric or other material that the final relative attitude of the pin shank and the plane or line of the material along the pin shank will be more or less parallel or, so that the material, between places engaged by the pin shank, may be straight and smooth, thereby to avoid puckering or launching of the material along the pinned portion where puckering or bunching is undesirable. In this connection it should be mentioned that the machine embodies a Work support and a pin inserting mechanism so constructed and related that a pin, point first, and the pin shank are caused to travel in a path, relative to that portion or part of the material in which the pin is to be secured, such as will intercept and enter the material at the desired point or place of entry, the pin point and shank being thereupon and thereafter caused to travel in a path whereby the pin point will lie or be disposed at a desired place or position wholly within a plait, seam or fold, or will reenter or emerge from the material layer or layers at a desired point or place after the usual manner of a pinning operation heretofore performed by hand.

Still further objects include the provision of a work support of special utility and functions, a novel mechanism for guiding and inserting pin-hooks, a mechanism for securing material in a predetermined position while the pin-hooks are inserted, and magazine feed means for holding a plurality of booked or loose pin-hooks and supplying them successively as needed to the guiding and inserting or applying mechanism.

Many other objects as well as the advantages and uses of the invention will be appreciated and understood after reading the following description and claims and upon viewing the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a pin-hook setting machine primarily intended for setting pinhooks in pinch plaits or other folds of draperies;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the right hand side of the machine shown in Fig. l, illustrating in full lines the position of the pin-hook setting mechanism at the time of completion of insertion of a pin-hook, the dotted lines indicating the positions of certain of the parts of the setting mechanism in the normal inoperative position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the left hand side of the machine with the parts illustrated in their normally inoperative position;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the machine;

Fig. 5-A is a fragmentary view partly in section taken along the section line 5-A-B5-A-B of Fig. 4, illustrating the pin-hook setting head in its down or fabric clamping position and the pin-hook setting arm in engagement with a pinhook in its initial position ready to start the pinhook setting movement;

Fig. 5-3 is a view corresponding to that of Fig. 5-A, taken along the same section line 5-A-B 5-A-B of Fig. 4, illustrating the pin-hook setting arm and pin-hook engaged thereby at the end of the setting arm stroke with the pinhook engaged in the fabric in its final position;

Fig. 6 is the vertical section through the frame base portions, work support and a portion of the pin setter head, with parts broken away and omitted for sake of convenience, the section being taken substantially along section line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6-A is a transverse sectional view taken along the line li-A-G-A of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 1-4 of Fig. 1 to illustrate the mechanism for lateral adjustment of the parts of the work support;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view through the pin-hook magazine taken substantially along the section line 8-8 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 8-A is a view of a standard type of drapery pin hook on a scale somewhat greater than the normal size, adapted for use in the instant machine;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section through the pinhook magazine taken substantially along the section line 99 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 9-A and 9-B are transverse sectional views taken along respective line 9-A-9-B and 9B9-B of Fig. 9;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a drapery heading portion from the front side thereof showing one of the well known manners in which a French plait commonly is formed and held by permanent stitching along the plait length or height and tack stitching;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view, from the rear side, of the drapery heading portion of Fig. 10 showing the plain seam formed by stitching the plait folds throughout their length across the drapery heading, and also showing a pin-hook in place as the same might be inserted by the machine disclosed herein;

Fig. 12 is a vertical section through the drapery heading at a plait, taken at the section line lZ-IZ of Fig. 11, the view showing the vertical stitching along the plait, the pin-hook in place and the thread of the tack stitches which hold the folds of the plait; and

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken along the section line I 3-l3 of Fig. 12.

The drawings generally portray a machine built and successfully operated for application of pinhooks to draperies and the like. In the construction of that machine it was deemed desirable to employ several different kinds of material (metal) for different parts and to an extent the section lining of the drawings hereof will reflect the kind or type of material employed in making that machine. Therefore, the section lining in the drawings, where departing from the usual simple type used to designate metal section, follows standards prescribed for different metals by American Standard Symbols for Section Lining as represented in a number of reference Works including Machinerys Hand Book, by Oberg and Jones, 14th ed. Copyright 1949, The Industrial Press, New York. Of course, choice of construction materials for the various parts of a machine of a character of the instant one is largely a matter for the discretion of the machine designer.

Construction The machine frame includes a base portion l2 adapted to be mounted upon a bench l3 fragmentarily illustrated in Fig. 2 and to be held thereon by suitable bolts passing through drilled openings 14 extending through bosses l5 cast integral with the base and other parts of the frame. Rising from the sides of the base l2 and integral therewith are a pair of spaced flanges It which are drilled on aligned axes for the passage of a shaft H upon which a work support base or work-shoe holder 18 is secured as by a pin l 9, the work support base I8 being drilled for passage of the shaft l1 therethrough. One end of the shaft ll, the left hand end viewing Fig. 1, is threaded as indicated at 21 for reception of a knurled clamp knob 22 which has a sleeve portion 23 the end of which is adapted to make frictional contact with the side of the adjacent flange I t to lock the shaft l1 against rotation of oscillation relative to the machine frame.

At its opposite end, the shaft ll projects outwardly beyond the adjacent flange I6 for reception of an elongated hub 24 of a worm gear 26 fixed on and to the shaft by a pin 25, the hub 24 being disposed so that one radial face normally bears against the exterior side of the adjacent flange [6. The worm gear 26 is housed within a gear case composed partly by an outwardly projecting circular part of a flange 21 integral with the adjacent flange iii of the machine frame and. a cover plate 28 secured to the first part by cap screws 29. The lower portions of the flange 2'! provide spaced vertical walls which are drilled on aligned axes for reception of a shaft 3! r0- tatably mounted therein and carrying a worm 32 in meshing engagement with the worm gear 26. The worm 32 is secured to the shaft 3| for rotation therewith and may have thrust engagement at its opposite ends with the adjacent interior walls of the depending parts of flange 27. A thrust collar 33 fixed on the rear end of the shaft 3! by a pin 34 permits the shaft 3! and worm 32 to rotate while retaining the shaft against displacement in one direction. A knurled knob 35 is secured to the shaft 3| for rotation of the shaft and may abut against the adjacent exterior side of the adjacent flange 21 to prevent rearward displacement of the shaft. When the knurled clamp knob 22 is unscrewed to release its inner end from frictional engagement with the side of the adjacent flange l6, rotation of the knob 35 will rotate the worm 32 whereby to rotate the worm gear 26 and the shaft ll. Since the shaft l l is keyed to the work support I 8, the latter will be swung forward or backward as the case may be, relative to and between the machine frame flanges H5.

The work support It rises above the upper ends of the base flanges it and at each side of a center portion is extended laterally and forwardly and rearwardly thereabove as indicated at 36 in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6. Extending laterally of the top surface of each of the upper portions 36 is a guideway, the bottom wall of which is designated 3'! and the side walls of which are designated 38, while intermediate of the portions 36 is an upwardly extending projection 39. Each of a pair of complementary work support shoes 51-46, each the mirror image of the other, has an inverted T-shaped guide portion. 42 adapted to seat and to slide transversely of the machine within the guideways 3l38 while gibs 43, which may be secured to the portion 35 by screws, serve to override the fore and rear edges of the guides 42 to prevent displacement of the work support shoes from the guideways.

Each work support shoe is drilled to provide a bore extending through it from side to side on aligned axes transverse to the machine and parallel to the guideways 3138 and guides 42. Each drilled bore is tapped at its outer side as indicated at M for threaded mating engagement with threaded portions d5 of a shaft 46, one of the threaded portions d5 bearing a left hand thread and the other a right hand thread for a purpose to be described. The inner portions of the drilled bores may be counter-bored as indicated at ll to provide clearance for the shaft 86 which also passes through and has bearing in a drilled bore in the projection 39. At each side of projection 39 shaft to is equipped with a thrust collar 48 for rotation therewith in abutting engagement with the opposite sides of projection 39. On one end of the shaft to, a knurled knob 49 is secured so that the shaft may be rotated in either direction and since the threads of portions are engaged with the correspondingly threaded portions M of the work support shoes ib-4!, these shoes will either be moved toward or from one another transversely of the machine.

The upper surface 52 of each work support shoe LL-t l could be flat or of other contour but preferably is arcuately curved from front to rear, desirably being generated as a portion of a surface of a cylinder the axis of which is coincident with the axis of the shaft ii. The inner or adjacent edges of the work support shoes 3!l|' project toward one another as indicated at 5252', overhanging the center part of the shoe holder base member 58, and their upper surfaces 53-53 incline upwardly to their parallel terminal and adjacent margins from the surfaces 5l-5l. The inclined surfaces 5353' are arcuate in a fore and rear direction concentric with the axis of the shaft I! and surfaces 5l-5l. The adjacent marginal edges of projecting portions 52-52 are rounded and their under sides may be tapered away from one another as indicated at 54-54 for a purpose which will later appear. The rear end or margin of each of the surfaces 5 l5 l terminates in a radially extending flange 55-55, the two flanges being aligned with one another and together serving as an abutment against which a fabric edge or margin may be abutted for gauging purposes. The upper portion of each of the frame flanges It, the outer upper surface of flange 2'! and the upper edge of cover plate 28 may be rounded as indicated at 56 to permit the work support shoes and base to swing freely forward and backward about the axis of shaft l1 and the forward upper portion of one of the flanges It may be provided with index markings 56 while the support base l8 may be provided with a fixed gauge marker 5'! for registration with the index markings 56 thereby to determine the rotated position of abutment flanges 55-55 with respect to a vertical plane containing the axis of shaft I? or with respect to the position at which the pin-hooks are to be placed.

Integral with the flanges l6 and base portion i2 and extending upwardly from the base portion at the rear thereof are a pair of parallel frame members 53 which at their upper ends extend forward to provide portions 59 overhanging the work support shoes and associated parts in spaced relation thereto. At their forward ends, portions 59 are integrally joined together throughout their vertical height as indicated at 6!. Portion 5| is provided with a vertically extending T-shaped guideway 62 (see Fig. 6-A) formed in part by removable gibs 62 and within this guideway a correspondingly formed slide 63, integral with what will be termed the pin-setter head, generally designated 64, is mounted for vertical reciprocatory movements toward and from the work supporting shoes and work support. The upper end of the guideway 62 may be closed by a plate 65 secured to the frame portion 6| by cap screws 66.

The pin-setter head 64' comprises a pair of semi-circular housing members 6'i6l' each complementary to the other and held together as by screws (55'. Each of the two housing member halves has a semi-circular recess portion 53 mating with the corresponding recess in the other to provide a guide slot for reception of a pin-setter arm $9 carried by a lever arm I! in turn secured to an oscillatable shaft l2 by means such as a pin 73, for swinging movements between p-redetermined limits about the axis of the shaft 12. Each of the housing members til-67 has a pair of portions Hi-l4 projecting toward and substantially abutting against the corresponding projections on the other of these housing members, the innerside of projection M of each housing member being spaced from the adjacent inner side of projection M of such member to provide clearance for limited swinging of the lever arm H and to provide inclined surfaces l5l5' forming limit stops between which the lever arm H may be oscillated. The guide slot over a substantial length of the lower part of the pin-setter head is so dimensioned, transversely, as to receive and, together with the pin-setter arm 69, to guide a pin-hook during the insertion operation.

The pin-setter arm 69 is of arcuate shape to correspond to the curvature of the guide slot provided by the registering recesses 68 between the housing parts 6'|6'I of the pin-setter head 6% and is dimensioned to have a sliding fit within the slot. At its free end arm 89 is cut away or reduced along its top and bottom edges IE-l6 to conform generally to the hook portion H of a drapery pin-hook as clearly illustrated in Figs. -A and 5-3. Preferably the dimensions of the reduced end of the pin-hook setter arm iii! are such that it is not thicker, transversely, than the diameter of the wire of which the pin-hook is made and of a thickness between its top and bottom edges -16 somewhat less than the narrowest portion of the hook part H since, during the pin-setting operation, the hook part H is to be partly collapsed or sprung together as will be explained hereinafter.

The rear edge of each of the projections is is provided with half of a vertically extending slot which mates with the other half in the other projection for reception of a stem 18 of a fabric clamp, the lower or clamp portion of which is bifurcated as shown at 19 to provide a pair of tooth-ed fabric clamping feet 31 disposed on opposite sides of the lower end portion of the housing members til-6?, the housing members at their lower ends being cut away as indicated at 2 for this purpose. The fabric clamp has a vertically elongated slot 83 through which the threaded stem of a clamp screw 84 passes for threaded engagement within a threaded bore in one or both of the projections M. By loosening and tightening the clamp screw 84 the fabric clamp may be adjusted vertically to a desired position on the pin-setter head with which it travels toward and from the work supporting shoes.

A boss formed on the side of the upper portion of the right hand frame portion 59 carries a stub shaft 85 upon which a rocker arm 8! is pivotally mounted between the boss 85 and a nut '38 with a washer 89 interposed between the nut and rocker arm. The rocker arm 8'! at its rear end is pivotally connected by a pivot bolt 9! to a link 92 adjustab-ly connected with a connecting rod 93 which, at its lower end, is connected with a second yoke link SE in turn pivotally connected, as at 95, with a foot operated lever 96 pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 91 between the sides of a bracket 98. The bracket 98 may be secured to the floor or upon any suitable pedestal in convenient location beneath the bench 13. A foot treadle 99 is provided on the other end of the lever and a spring ifll connected between a forward end of the foot lever 96 and the bench l3, as by hook Hi2, normally holds the end of the foot lever in the upper full line position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and dotted line position shown in Fig. 2. When the foot lever 96 is in its upper or inoperative position, the rocker arm 81 will be in the dotted line position shown in each of Figs. 2 and 3.

In the forward end of rocker arm 81 is an elongated slot I03 the long axis of which is in alignment with the pivot axes of the rocker arm on the stub shaft 86 and pivot bolt ti. Projecting from one end of a crank arm I04 is a pivot stud I95 which carries a roller sleeve Hi6 adapted to ride within and between the ends of the slot N33. The other end of the crank arm iii i is secured to the shaft 12 for oscillation of that shaft. The side of the frame adjacent to the crank arm I it and rocker arm 3? has a vertically extending slot Hi1 of a length suficient to permit the shaft 12 to move up and down to an extent corresponding to vertical movement of the .pinsetter head in the guideways 62.

Pin-hooks could be fed to the setter head and the setting arm 65 by hand but it is preferable that they be fed automatically from a magazine holding a substantial number for successive advancement to the setting mechanism. Accordingly, the machine illustrated is provided with a magazine feed mechanism adapted to hold a substantial number of pin-hooks and from which the pin-hooks may be fed automatically as .required, one at a time and in proper oriented position, to the inserting mechanism. Preferably also, the magazine is of such type as will permit a plurality of pin-hooks to be assembled together in the same order or register in booked relationship as with lacquer, or the like, for insertion on an arbor in the magazine in such multiple unit form, yet also of such type as will permit the pin-hooks to be loaded individually without booking. The magazine and pin-hook feed and the inserting mechanism desirably are of such construction and arrangement that the magazine may be removed with ease for reloading and replacement or for inner-change with a different magazine carrying a full charge of pinhooks. Of course, with slight modification of the structure, pin-hooks of different sizes or different form might be utilized.

At a place adjacent to the upper or inoperative position (Fig. 5-A) of the reduced free end of the setter-arm 69, the housing member 6'! has an opening I88 conforming generally to the overall profile outline of a pin-hook such as that shown in S-A as that pin-hook may be viewed when in the position and with the orientation illustrated in Fig. 5-A. The opening 588 extends from the exterior of the housing member 6? to the guide slot provided by the recesses 58 thereby to permit the pin-hooks to pass from th magazine into the guide slot and on to the end of the pinsetter arm as shown in Fig. 5-A. A U-shaped or channel member N39 is provided with lateral flanges [H at one end thereof for abutment against the exterior surface of housing member 5'5 along opposite margins of that housing member defining the opening I 06, cap screws 1 12, passing through those flanges into the housing wall to secure the member I69 in its position where it projects laterally from the side of the machine. Disposed in the bottom of channel member 109 and relatively permanently secured therein as by screws 5 i3, is a lower pin-hook guide member I I4 which is formed with a groove H5 extending throughout its length, the groove being transversely contoured as indicated in th section of Fig. 8 thereby to conform generally to the lower part of the outline of a pin-hook when oriented as above stated. Fitting on top of and mating with the lower guide lid within the channel I09 is an upper pin-hook guide member I it formed with a groove HT conforming in transverse contour to the upper part of the outline of a pinhook oriented in th manner previously stated.

The upper guide H5 also has a longitudinally extending groove H8 adapted snugly but removably to receive a pin-hook arbor H3 which fits therein throughout its length, and is secured therein by screws H9, and has a projecting tongue portion l 2! which is received in the opening N38 for centering and aligning purposes. Pinhooks in multiple number, whether booked or separate, are slidably threaded on to the arbor and are fed forward therealong into the opening I08 and on to the end of the setter-arm 69 by a follower I22 carried on a guide rod I 23 and slidable therealong within the confines of the upper and lower pin-hook guide members H4, N6, the follower having a configuration permitting it freely to slide longitudinally in the grooves of the upper and lower guide members and about the pin arbor H9. A spring I24, surrounds the rod I23 and reacts between a fixed abutment I25 on the outer end of the rod and the follower I22, normally urging the follower toward a limiting abutment or stop I26 at the inner end of the rod. The lower end portion I 2i} of the arbor I I9 is forked to straddle the rod I23 and spring I26. The outer end of the rod I23 has a return bent portion I26 the free end of which is provided with a hook part I21 adapted to pass into a drilled bore I28 extending through the U-shaped housing member I09 into the lower pin-hook guide member H t. A pair of handles I29 secured to the upper pin-hook guide H6 may be employed for the removal of the upper pin-hook guide member HE and the pin-hook arbor III) after the rod I23, spring I24 and follower I 22 have been removed as an assembly, the rod end I21 being first removed from the bore I28. A pin I3I] (Fig. 4) secured to and projecting from the upper pin-hook guide member I I8 rides in a slot I3I provided in the outer end of the channel member 5439 and requires the upper pin hook guide member lit to be removed or slid longitudinally to the left viewing Figs. 1, 4 and 9 for removal of the tongue I2I from the opening I98 before being lifted out of the channel member I69.

Operation In describing the operation it will simplify matters to refer to one manner in which the machine may be employed to apply or insert pin-hooks in interior hangings such as drapes. It will be assumed that the drape is composed of cloth fabric, as shown more particularly in Figs. 10 to 13, inclusive, and has a cloth fabric lining on the reverse side, that it is to have a heading I3I extending to a predetermined height above the line of support, that pinch or multi-fold plaits extend across the heading in transversely spaced relation to one another, that pin-hooks are to be placed or inserted in the fabric material on the reverse side thereof at each fold or plait and at exactly the same distance from th top margin or top edge of the heading, that the pin shanks or hooks or both are to be arrayed in parallelism and perpendicular to the top margin of the heading, and that the pin points as well as the shanks are to be concealed within the material or the drape folds so that neither of such pin-hook parts will grin through at either side of the drape.

As is well known and well established practice in the industry, drapery plaits of the type illustrated herein may consist of several pinch folds of which three, I32, I33, I34, are shown in Fig. 6 and in Figs. 10, 11 and 13, wherein the cloth material is shown as doubled back upon itself to provide four folds I35, I35, I31 and I33, and secured in such folded condition. The heading I3I may be tacked down by sewing I39. The usual and ordinary method of securing the folds of the illustrated plait is by sewing th two outermost folds I35 and I38 directly together by sewing down the valleys of the folds, as shown at I45], over their length or height across the heading I3 I and thereafter tack sewing the three pinch folds I32, I33 and I34 at the bottom of the heading, as indicated at I 4 I the tacking being done at the lower ends of the folds or plaits and usually within the id drapery heading area or close thereto. These plait forms and sewing thereof are old and well known practices as shown and described, for instance on pages 119, of The New Encyclopedia of Modern Sewing, Wm. H. Wise 8; Co., Inc., N. Y., 1946, copyright 1943 by The National Needlecraft Bureau, Inc., revised edition, copyright 1946, Wm. H. Wise 81 Co., Inc. See also page 268 of The Complete Book of Sewing, by Constance Talbot, Garden City Publishing Co., Inc., Garden City, New York, copyright 1943 by Book Presentations, New York, and page of The Wise Encyclopedia of Modern Sewing, Wm. H. Wise & Co., Inc., New York, 1950, copyright 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950 by Wm. H. Wise & Co., Inc.

The machine parts being in their normal inoperative positions as shown in full lines in Fig. 3 and in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the first preliminary operation may be the forward or rearward adjustment of the work support and work supporting shoes II, II to set the work margin abutment flanges 55 at such predetermined distance from some fixed or datum point circumferentially about the axis of shaft H, as will result in placement of some particular point on or part of a pinhook at that distance from the top marginal edge of the drape heading as will give the drape its support at the desired line. The scale markings and index plate E'I may be graduated and arranged to determin the desired position of the work stops 55. Upon release of the clamp knob 22 the adjustment knob 35 may be rotated in one direction or the other to turn the shaft I? through operation of the worm 32 and worm gear 26 thereby to swing the support base I8 and the work support shoes 4i, GI forward or backward until the index plate 57 registers with the desired mark on scale 55. Thereafter the clamp knob 22 is again tightened to secure the setting.

The next step may be the adjustment of the slot width between shoes ll, 4!. If the drapery plaits are all of the same general type and transverse thickness, only one transverse setting of the shoes may be required to provide the correct slot Width for disposition of all of such plaits therein so that it is not necessary to readjust the slot width until a thicker or thinner plait is to be pinned. Adjustment of the slot width is readily accomplished by rotation of the knurled knob It which, through the oppositely threaded portions of shaft t6, simultaneously moves both work support shoes 4!, 4| toward or from one another along guideways 3'I38. The slot width preferably is such as to furnish a firm but light pressure on the material at opposite sides of the plait but the lips of the projections 52, 52' should not be so close together as to interfere with the insertion or placement of the pin point and shank of a pinhook.

Grasped by hand along a portion of the upper part of the plaited drape with the rear, or reverse side of the drape upward, the upper edge is thrust over the surfaces of the work support shoes il, ill with the plait to be pinned depending into the slot and with the material at each side of the plait disposed downwardly and outwardly over the inclined upper surfaces 53, 53' and the cylindrical surfaces 5i, iii of the work shoes after the manner illustrated in Fig. 6. The upper edge of the drape is brought up evenly against the adjacent faces of the work stops 55.

With the work so placed on the work support the operator depresses the foot treadle which, during the first part of its movement, permits the setter head to lower by action of gravity until the work clamp feet 8| make firm clamping engagement with the work, the feet 8| pressing the work against the sloping or inclined surfaces 52, 52. The depression of treadle 99 urges the connecting rod upward thereby swinging rocker arm 8! in a counterclockwise direction, viewing Fig. 2 from the dotted line position shown in that figure toward the full line position. As the rocker arm starts this swing carrying the crank HM with it, the shaft 12, being attached to crank Hi4, drops down the slot H37 and the entire setting head 84 carrying the fabric clamp 79 drops with it. The slot 183, of course, permits freedom of movement of the crank arm within limits with respect to the rocker arm since the rocker and crank arms have difierent swinging radii and other differential movements. During the first part of the depression of treadle 99 then, the fabric is clamped to the work support. but there has been little if any rotative movement of the shaft l2, lever arm H and pin-setter arm 69 as Fig. 5-A indicates. However, at this time a pin-hook will have entered the slot and been disposed as shown over the reduced end of setter arm.

It will be helpful to an understanding of certain functions performed by the setting mecha nism, to digress momentarily from the statement of operation to describe the type of pin-hook employed with the machine of the instant embodiment. The pin portion of this pin-hook normally is closed against the hook portion as shown in Figs. 5-A and 8-A. As most, clearly illustrated in the latter figure, the hook portion H is a loop somewhat of horse-shoe shape since the loop ends are curved in toward one another while the shank part S of the pin portion is bent back rather sharply at one side of the hook loop so that it is substantially tangent to the outer side of the loop of the hook portion, as indicated at C. Whether the shank portion actually makes contact with the loop of the hook portion or merely extends in close proximity thereto generally is not of material consequence so long as the gap between these portions at C is sufficiently narrow and the pinhook wire has a degree of resilience or spring quality suificient to offer resistance to the escape of the fabric from within the small loop betvveefi such portions. The shank portion terminates in the usual point P. The opposite or free end of the hook portion H terminates in an outwardly flared nib F which is designed primarily to facilitate engagement of the hook over drapery supports such as rods and by reason of this flared part the pin-hook has greater transverse width at this place than the transverse width at any other section. Advantage is taken of this last mentioned feature of the pin-hook to aid in opening a gap between the pin shank portion S and the hook portion H at point of tangency C to permit easy entry of the pinned material therebetween into the small loop, the natural resilience of the pin-hook wire being relied upon again to close the pin shank. portion against or toward the hook portion upon passage of the pinned material past the gap into the small gathering loop.

As will be seen upon inspection of Figs. LA and 5-33, the opposed and abutting projections 14 of the housing members are cut away at the juncture of the radially angular edges 15' with their arcuate walls 10, as indicated at Hi, to permit the nib- F free entry into the pin-hook guide slot 68 over the end of setter arm 69. However, since the radial width of the remainder of the guide slot. between the arcuate wall '10 and the opposed outer wall of such slot is less than the transverse width of the pin-hook thereacross at the nib F, movement of the pin-hook into such narrower part of the slot under impetus of the setter arm 69 will cramp the pin-hook transversely causing the nib F to be moved resiliently toward the opposite side of hook portion H. It will also be noted in these Figs. 5-A and 5-3 that the housing members $1, -61 terminate in a plane parallel to a tangent or substantially parallel to a tangent to the upper edge of the arcuate lips of the work support projections 52, 5.2 substantially at the mean of the pin shank length so that, when the setter head is in its down position, as shown, the terminal surface 86 becomes substantially tangent to. the arcuate edges of the work support lips and the pin-hook guide slot is opened on its outer side for emergence of the pin shank portion S including point P.

Therefore, as the treadle 9Q is further depressed beyond the point above mentioned, the radial lever arm H swings in a clockwise direction (Figs. 5-A and 5-B) from the position in Fig. 5-A to that in Fig. 5-B, causing the setter arm 69 to move the pin-hook with which it is engaged into and along the confining part of the guide slot with the nib F compressed toward the opposite side of hook portion H. When the pin-hook reaches that portion of the guide slot which is open at the outer side thereof the pin point P followed by the succeeding increments of the shank portion S will spring or tend to spring radially outward away from the adjacent parts of the hook portion H thereby opening the pin to provide a gap at C to permit passage of the material therethrough into the gathering loop atthe junction of the shank portion S with the hook portion H. The emerging point of the pin-hook will be inclined downward toward the material with which it is to engage and into which it is to be inserted but will continue to be swung in an arc. The result is that the pin point and the balance of the pin shank will enter the material or the seam of the fold or plait and come to rest (upon completion of movement of the setter arm 89) in the position illustrated in Fig. 5-3 and Fig. 6.

Upon release of the treadle 99, the spring ID! will return all of the operating parts of the machine to their initial inoperative positions the inserted, pin-hook, of course, remaining where placed in the material. As soon as the setter arm returns to the position shown in Fig. 5-A the magazine mechanism operates to place the next pin-hook over the receiving end of the setter arm which, until such position is attained serves to obstruct the entry of pin-hooks into the guide slot. With the return of the setter head to its uppermost or inoperative position, as in Fig. 3, the fabric clamp is raised away from the material to. permit the drape or other work to be removed.

The invention has been described and illustrated in a presently preferred form for a particular purpose but, as will be appreciated, it is susceptible of embodiment in other forms and for other purposes and many variations in construction and arrangement may be made. Consequently, I desire to be limited only by the invention spirit and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for setting pin-hooks comprising, means for supporting fabric having a pre-formed fi-xed plait with the plait in a predetermined po- 13 sition, and means for inserting a pin-hook in the fabric at the plait with the pin shank of the pinhook extending substantially longitudinally with respect to the plait of the fabric and the hook in predetermined relation to the shank.

2. A machine for setting pin-hooks comprising, means for supporting fabric having a pro-formed fixed plait, said supporting means providing an elongated slot for reception of the plait with the plait fold lines extending longitudinally of the slot and means for inserting a pin-hook in the fabric longitudinally of the plait folds and in predetermined position with respect to the said fold lines of the plait of the fabric.

3. A machine for setting pin-hooks comprising, means providing a support for a piece of fabric having a pre-formed fixed plait therein extending substantially perpendicular to an edge thereof, means associated with said support means for positioning said edge of the fabric with said plait in a predetermined oriented position, and means for securing a pin-hook in said fabric in predetermined relation to the oriented position of the fabric edge and the fabric plait.

4. A machine for setting pin-hooks comprising,

with said means for positioning an edge portion of the fabric in a predetermined oriented position, and means for securing a pin-hook in said fabric in predetermined relation to the oriented position of the said fabric edge and the said plait.

5. A machine for setting pin hooks comprising, means for supporting and securing a piece of material having a pre-forrned fixed plait therein with a portion of the plait in a predetermined spaced position and orientation with respect to a predetermined edge of the material, and means operable to secure a pin-hook in said portion with the hook in predetermined spaced position and orientation relative to said material edge.

6. A machine for setting pin-hooks comprising,

a work support including an arcuately convex surface portion upon which material such as a piece of fabric conformably may be placed for operation thereon, a pin-hook holder, and means associated with said holder and engageable with the hook part of a pin-hook held by the holder for inserting the pin-hook in the material with the shank of the pin extending in a path substantially parallel to a chord of an arc of said convex surface.

'7. A machine for setting pin-hooks comprising, a work support including an arcuately convex surface portion upon which material such as a piece of fabric having a plait therein conformably may be placed for operation thereon, said work support having a downwardly extending slot for reception of the plait, a pin holder, and means associated with said holder and engageable with a pin held thereby for inserting the pin in the material parallel to the fold axis of the plait with the shank of the pin extending in a' path substantially parallel to a chord of an arc of said convex surface.

8. A machine for setting pin-hooks comprising, a work support including a convex work receiving surface portion upon and over which at least a part of a piece of material such as fabric conformably may lie for operation thereon, a pinhook holder and guide associated with said work support, and means including said guide for moving a pin-hook in a path substantially tangential to the convexly lying part of the material and inserting the pin-hook in the material with its shank portion extending substantially parallel to a chord of said surface portion convexity and the hook portion in predetermined orientation to a predetermined part of the material.

9. A machine for setting pin-hooks comprising, a work support including a convex work receiving surface portion upon and over which at least a part of a piece of material such as fabric having a plait therein conformably may lie for operation thereon, said work support having a downwardly extending slot for reception of said plait, a pin guide associated with said work support, and means including said guide for moving a pin in a path substantially tangential to the convexly lying part of the material and inserting the pin in the material at the plait with its shank portion extending substantially parallel to a chord of said surface portion convexity.

10. A machine for setting pin-hooks comprising, a work support having a surface adapted to receive and position a piece of material such as fabric with a physical feature of the material in predetermined position relative to such surface and with that part of the material that is to receive a pin-hook exposed, means for clamping the work in said position upon the support, means for holding a pin-hook to be inserted in said material, and means operable to engage said pin-hook and to move the same in an arcuate path parallel to a tangent to the exposed surface of that part of the material into which the pin-hook is to be 7 inserted, said path being so located with reference to the said material that the pin-hook point will enter the material at a place having predetermined spaced and oriented relation to said physical feature.

11. A machine for setting pin-hooks comprising, a relatively stationary work support having a surface adapted to receive and support a piece of material such as fabric having a fold adjacent to an edge thereof, a work stop carried by said support for engagement with said material edge to position said edge, means for holding a pinhook to be inserted in said material in predetermined relation to the line of said fold, and means operable to engage said pin-hook and to move the same in an arcuate path parallel to a tangent to the exposed surface of that part of the material into which the pin-hook is to be inserted, said path being so located with reference to the said material that the pin point will intercept and enter the material at a place having said predetermined relation to said fold.

12. A machine for setting pin-hooks comprising, a relatively stationary work support having an upwardly facing surface adapted to receive and support a piece of material such as fabric having a fold extending in a direction transverse to an edge thereof, a work stop for engaging said material edge to position said edge and fold in one direction parallel to said surface, means for positioning said fold in a predetermined position in a direction normal to said one direction and parallel to said surface, means for holding a pinhook to be inserted in said material, and means operable to engage said pin-hook and to move the same in an arcuate path parallel to a tangent to the exposed surface of that part of the material into which the pin-hook is to be inserted, said path being so located with reference to the said material that the pin point will enter the material at a place having predetermined relation to said fold and said edge.

13. A machine for setting pin-hooks comprising, a work support having an upwardly facing surface to receive and support a piece of material such as fabric, means for positioning the material by an edge portion thereof in a predetermined position, means for holding a pin-hook. to be inserted in said material, and means operable to engage said pin-hook and to move the same in a path intercepting the exposed surface of that part of the material into which the pin-hook. is to be inserted, said path being so located with reference to the said material that the pin point will enter the material at a place having predetermined relation to said edge portion.

is. In a machine of the character and for the purpose described, a work support having a var iable slot therein and a raised lip along each side of the slot for supporting a piece of material with a predetermined portion thereof in raised eleva: tion relative to adjacent portions, means for, clamping the material against the raised lips, and means for engaging and moving a pin with its point foremost in a path intercepting said raised portion of the material and effecting insertion of the pin therein.

15. In a machine of the character and for the purpose described, a work support for supporting a piece of material with a predetermined portion thereof in raised elevation relative to adjacent portions, means for moving said support, positioning means. carried by said support and movable therewith for said predetermined portion, and means for engaging and moving a pin with its point foremost in a path intercepting said raised portion and effecting insertion of the pin therein with the pin shank axis in predetermined orientation in said portion.

16. A machine for setting pin-hooks comprising, means for supporting a piece of flexible material with a predetermined portion thereof convexly arched, means for positioning said portion in a predetermined orientation on said support, and means operative to insert the shank part of a pin-hook in said portion with the pin shank part disposed along a chord of the arch of the said portion in said predetermined position.

17. In a machine of the character and for the purpose described, a work support including two parts movable relatively toward and from one another and between them defining a variable width slot for reception of a portion of the work, means for holding a pin to be inserted in the work at the position of said slot, and means operative to engage a pin and to insert the same in the work between the sides of the slot.

18. In a machine of the character and for the purpose described, a work support including two parts movable relatively toward and from one another and between them defining a variable width slot for reception of a downwardly projecting portion of the work, means for holding a pin to be inserted in the work at the position of said slot, and means operative in a path extending in a direction which is longitudinal of said slot to engage a pin and to insert the same in the work at the location of said downwardly project'- ing portion between the sides of the slot.

19. In a machine of the character and for the purpose described, a work support for a piece of fabric having a terminal edge and a plait the line of which extends transversely of. the line of such. edge, said supportinclu'ding two parts movable relatively toward and from one another and.

between them defining a variable width: slot for reception of said plait in depending position, guide means associated with said support for limiting engagement with said fabric terminal edge, means for holding a pin-hook to be inserted in the said plait at the position of said slot, and means operative to engage the pin-hook and to insert the same in the: plait between the sides of the slot in predetermined spaced relation to said guide means.

20. In a machine of the character and for the purpose described, a work support including a pair of members, each of said members having an upwardly convex arcuate surface, said arcuate surfaces being substantially parallel in side by side relation, means for moving said members toward and from one another along an axis of generation substantially common to each of said arcuate surfaces, and means disposed above said surfaces and cooperative therewith for performing work on material disposed on said surfaces.

21. In a machine of the character and for the purpose described, a work support including a pair of members, each of said members having an upwardly convex arcuate surface, arcuate surfaces having a substantially common axis of generation and being substantially parallel in side by side relation, means disposed above said surfaces and cooperative therewith for performing work on material disposed on said surfaces, means for moving. said members relative to one another and to said work performing means in a path substantially parallel to said common axis of generation of said surfaces, guide means providing a work edge-engaging surface for limiting movement of work across said surfaces in a direction transverse to said axis of generation, and means for varying the position of said guide means relative to said work performing means.

22. A machine for inserting pin-hooks in draperies and like fabric items for hanging purposes comprising, a work support including an upwardly facing surface for reception of that portion of the fabric item into which the pin-hook is to be inserted, means cooperative with said support for securing the fabric item portion in a relatively fixed position on said surface, means for holding a pin-hook, and means operable to receive the pin-hook from said holding means and to insert the pin-hook shank, point first, into said item portion.

23. A. machine for inserting pin-hooks in plaited draperies and like fabric items for hanging purposes comprising, a pair of adjacent work supporting members each having an upwardly facing convexly arcuate surface for reception of portions of the fabric item adjacent to a plait portion into which the pin-hook is to be inserted, the said surfaces being substantially parallel in side-by-side relationship, means for moving said members toward and from one another in said parallel relationship to provide a variable width slot between said surfaces for reception of the plait portion into which a pinhook is to be inserted, means cooperative with said supporting members for securing the fabric item portions in relatively fixed and predetermined positions on said surface and within said slot, means for holding a pin-hook, and means operable to receive the pin-hook from said holding means and to insert the pin-hook shank, point first, into said item plait portion.

24-. A machine for inserting pin-hooks in plaited draperies and like fabric items for hanging purposes comprising, a work support including an upwardly facing surface for reception of that portion of the fabric item into which the pinhook is to be inserted, means for positioning a predetermined part of a fabric item on said surface in predetermined relationship to a plait therein and to an edge thereof, means cooperative with said support for securing the said fabric item part on said surface as positioned by said positioning means, means for holding a pin-hook, and means operable to receive the pin-hook from said holding means and to insert the pin-hook shank, point first, into the fabric item in a position having predetermined relation to said secured part.

25. A machine for inserting pin-hooks in draperies and like fabric items for hanging purposes comprising, a work support including an upwardly facing surface for reception of that portion of the fabric item into which the pin-hook is to be inserted, means cooperative with said support for securing the fabric item portion in a relatively fixed position on said surface, magazine means for holding a plurality of pin-hooks, and means operable to receive the pin-hooks successively from said magazine and to insert a pinhook shank, point first, into said item portion.

26. In a machine for setting pin-hooks in draperies and the like, wherein each pin-hook has a pointed-end shank portion and a reversely bent section providing a hook portion opening in a direction substantially opposite to the point of the pointed-end and the shank and hook portions are substantially tangent to one another between the limits of the shank length, means for supporting a drapery in a predetermined position for insertion of a pin-hook in a predetermined place thereof, and means for insertinga pin-hook in said place, said means being effective to spread said shank and hook portions relatively apart.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 918,986 Farrington Apr. 20, 1909 1,451,119 Maranville Apr. 10, 1923 1,545,460 Stevens July 7, 1925 1,586,217 Polzer May 25, 1926 1,628,588 Friedman May 10, 1927 1,775,357 Russell Sept. 9, 1930 1,971,963 Kohnle Apr. 28, 1934 2,014,726 Flood Sept. 17, 1935 2,089,572 Polzer Aug. 10, 1937 

